Blade(Part 1): Dawn

Chapter 12: Alexius

Alexius didn't sleep through the night. He couldn't. Not only because of the nervousness of having Skaolan soldiers in a giant camp outside of his house, but because he was a nephalem. His epsilon blood allowed him to stay awake and energized, and sleep wasn't necessary. His father was an epsilon and his mother, Maria, was human, but that was all he knew about his heritage. He had no idea who his father was, and for his entire life, his mother refused to tell him anything. Alexius had told himself that it was only to protect him, but the fact that he was a nephalem to begin with had already put him at risk. If the Skaolans found out that he was half human and half epsilon, they would kill him, and Maria would be charged with something ridiculous, such as adultery. It wasn't illegal while Astros was under Sevorgradian law, but under the Skaolans' control, Maria could be executed in the most painful and violent way possible. Alexius couldn't bear to think about his mother dying in such a horrible way, just because he was born. It wouldn't happen, though. General Darius would never find out that his father was an epsilon. Even if he did find out, Alexius would kill every one of his soldiers before they even touched his mother. Suddenly, he heard something downstairs. Alexius quickly jumped from his bed and formed his aura blade. The sun was rising, so it could have been Decimus, Maria, or one of his siblings, but he wouldn't take any chances. He looked between the bars of the stairs, to the kitchen of the large house. It was his grandfather, but also little Placus. Decimus was standing in front of the oven with a frying pan on one of its burners, while Placus was sitting on a wooden stool beside the island. Alexius dropped his gladius, letting it fade as it hit the ground, then walked downstairs rather than sneaking down.

"Alexius!" Decimus greeted. "Good morning."

"Good morning, grandpa," said Alexius, pulling up a stool and sitting next to Placus. "Morning, Placus."

"Morning, brother," said Placus, smiling.

"What are you both doing down here so early?" Alexius wondered.

"Early?" Decimus chuckled. "It's eight in the morning."

"It is?" Alexius gasped. "Gods, I don't remember the last time I knew what time it was."

"Well, there's the fact that you don't sleep, too, right?" asked Placus.

"Shh!" hushed both Alexius and Decimus.

"You can't talk about that with these soldiers here," Alexius whispered. "It could get me and mom killed." Placus, Marcus, Lucia, and Decimus all knew that Alexius was a nephalem, and he was touched when he found that out, but was still accepted. Even so, no good could come from even saying the word "nephalem" out loud.

"I'm sorry," Placus whined. Alexius wasn't angry. Placus was only ten. There were still lots of things for him to learn, such as how to keep secrets.

"It's alright, Placus," Alexius excused, and he gave his younger brother a playful rub in his ginger hair.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Decimus wondered, putting plates with pancakes and syrup in front of his grandsons.

"I was thinking of finding out what exactly happened in town yesterday," said Alexius. "Finding the monster that did that damage and killing it."

"You make that sound easy," Decimus sighed.

"Oh, no," Alexius admitted, chuckling. "No monster is easy to kill. Especially if what this one happens to be what I think it is."

"And what is that?" Decimus wondered.

"A gorgon," Alexius answered. "A powerful one, at that. I don't even want to think about what awaits me when I go to its lair."